This is the Seattle Sports Blog bringing you up to date current events of Seattle Sports. This blog has several writers who will discuss several sports related topics but mainly focus on Seattle Sports.

Friday, May 13, 2011

Why do people resent Athletes?

By Kshell

We have all dealt with some sort of bias throughout our entire lives. People will make rash decisions on people they don't know that is always going to happen. Now in this post I'm going to give you the other side of the story which is actually defending athletes. Too often growing up the guys who play sports are viewed as dumb, spoiled, full of themselves and a bully. Then when these athletes grow up certain people will continue to bash on them. These same people will have no problem supporting some crappy movie that Adam Sandler made where he is being paid over 20 million dollars. These same people will complain about how rich and spoiled these athletes are today. There isn't a hatred towards musicians, people in hollywood, people who are famous for being t.v. talking heads, etc. In this following post I'm going to explain in two specific examples on why people hate athletes with such a strong passion. I'll also bring up other myths that people gripe about when talking about athletes as well.

I think one reason is because of race which is sad given how this is the year 2011. Take a look at the picture to my right I know it just drives people crazy that this man has made over 100 million dollars. The picture is of Allen Iverson who represents everything that white america hates. He appears to be very selfish, cocky, full of himself, has corn rows and has plenty of tats all over his body. If he was some random dude on the streets white america would look down on him as he would be beneath them. It just drives certain people crazy that he makes more money in a day than these racist dicks will ever see in their entire lives. The college system is built to keep white people on top and keep black people at the bottom. So when a black person is great at sports and makes lots of money it's almost a loophole in the system. Just like the rule that David Stern made forcing these kids to go to college for a year because white america was getting pissed that these young 18 year olds off the streets were skipping college making mass money. The resentment towards the cocky black athlete or simply the black athlete with tats will always be there.

Then that time comes when an athlete gets in trouble with the law. The immediate reaction is always these "thugs" are just running around committing crimes but they'll probably get away with it. That is when someone will always bring up how O.J.Simpson literally got away with murder and how all athletes get away with crimes. The anti-athlete crowd always feels better about themselves when an athlete screws up and immediately passes judgement even if facts say otherwise. Kobe Bryant is still hated because he will forever be viewed as your typical athlete who got away with rape. What people fail to realize is basic common sense like that girl had sex with two different guys in that same 24 hour period. Take a recent look at the Venoy Overton case which if you see my facebook page or my Seattle Sportsblog Group has caused a huge reaction. Would people assume Venoy Overton is a rapist if he looked like Jake Locker? Probably not. Overton is your typical athlete that people hate as he is cocky, has tons of tats, is often called a "thug". Not saying Overton is a good guy but if you read the report common sense shall tell you he didn't rape that chick. I do think race is one of two main reasons people are so resentful towards athletes.

The other reason people dislike the "jocks" because on average those are the coolest kids in high school. From the beginning every age group has their select few kids who are great at sports from eight years old on up. Those kids become local legends at a young age amongst adults that everyone knows who they are. Growing up everyone wants to be accepted and there is a jealously that some 14 year old kid who happens to be good at sports already is so known amongst adults. Any decent high school coach in any sport knows his upcoming talent years in advance. These kids aren't necesarily given extra benefits but the adult teachers will talk to them in the halls to try and be their friends. I have two close friends I played sports with at R.A.Long who went on to play college sports. One was all-state at football and basketball while the other was a stud at football(first team all state WR) and baseball. Those two had the Lebron James syndrome going for them as well. They were the most popular in my class and probably the most hated as well by many. Truth be told with those two and a few other friends of mine who played sports the most cocky, arrogent, guy with the largest ego was and still is myself. I wasn't good at marquee sports(was good at wrestling but nobody really cares about wrestling) so I was viewed as the nice one. Typically the better you are at sports in my school and I'm sure everywhere you are viewed as a jerk. For an example my sophomore year there was a rumor that one of my friends was groping freshman girls in the hall which I know was 100% pure bullshit. Instead it was viewed as typical athlete getting away with whatever he wants. It's kind of a joke how people of all social groups judge people before knowing about them.

When these kids grow up they make millions at their sport. Now people don't have the same resentment towards musicians or actors because most of those guys weren't popular in school. Most musicians were outcasts in school and the actors were in drama class which doesn't exactly have the cool kids. While when people see an athlete make money they view that as unfair how they got everything in life and continue to be rewarded. You often hear people complain about player salaries like Alex Rodriguez who signed a 10 year 252 million dollar deal to leave the Seattle Mariners. I'll admit I was upset then because I was only 15 years old but I'm not going to lie if someone offers that to me I'd simply respond with "Where do I sign? Thanks!". You often hear people say such ridiculous things such as "They are playing a game I'd play for free". That statement is 100% bullshit who would ever do something for free? I sure as hell wouldn't and neither should you. People always complain about player salaries yet musicians and actors/actresses make bank on movies, endorsements, concerts, etc. Nobody cares that Jim Carrey made over 20 million to make "The Cable Guy" or that Martin Lawrence continues to make movies. Someone tried to reason with me saying that you can watch a movie for free at home. My response was you can watch a sporting game at home and going to a Mariners game is actually cheaper than seeing a movie at the theaters now. I find it funny that people will hold grudges from their high school days towards people they have never met. In fact it's not funny it's pretty sad instead.

In conclusion, I'm amazed that athletes receive so much hate. I find it disturbing that when an athlete is arrested it automatically assumed that he is guilty. If he never serves time in jail it is assumed that he got away with it instead of people going after them because they are easy targets. I laugh when the same people who complain about player salaries have no problem going to a movie or a concert. To those who bash on player salaries I think is hypocritical as I would never turn down that type of money so why should they? Chris Rock said it best once when he said "People complain that Shaq is rich. You know whose really rich? The guy who signs Shaq's check." I find it sad that people still hold high school grudges towards these guys. I'm aware high school wasn't great for the majority of people but did you ever stop to think that maybe just maybe that was partly your own fault? Then what is really disturbing is how the old generation just can't handle the fact that black guy with tats can be a millionaire so "easy". We'll just ignore the fact that the school system is set up so black america can never succeed ever. So the point in this whole post is that there is two sides to every story. Not every athlete is arrogent, get away with everything, a "thug", and dumb. The same people who complain about stereotypes are the same ones who cast those towards "jocks". Just remember each individual person is their own person and you should judge each case as an individual case. Just don't hate the athlete for making tons of money when if you were in their shoes you'd be doing the same thing.